Pumpkin Patch Brownies

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are of the featured recipe... Pumpkin Patch Brownies. Fun, easy and cute. I'm going to be making these with a couple of little guys Thursday... and I'm going to read The Pumpkin Patch Parable when we are done. (I LOVE Moms who let me "borrow" their preschoolers for crafts, parties, snuggling, etc. I'm so looking forward to my favorite day!)

ANNOUNCEMENT #1! ANNOUNCEMENT #1! ANNOUNCEMENT #1 - You can leave a comment for A Simple Life on Guestkeeper... and you'll be able to see it as soon as you post.

This continues to be a huge thorn in my side. I need to hire a Personal Computer Tech Assistant who specializes in "dumb blog problems," but I'm guessing Mikie would veto that request. Am I right?

ANNOUNCEMENT #2! ANNOUNCEMENT #2! ANNOUNCEMENT #2 - My picture-of-the-day blog (50 is Nifty) is current. You can get there by clicking on 50 is Nifty under My Blog List or going to www.otherurbanmyths.blogspot.com.

It is easier to just click on it under My Blog List. Believe me.

RANDOMNESS #1 - My great-niece, Lauren, arrived yesterday, and can I just say, she is adorable. So tiny. So pretty. So alert. Her little eyes were open during our entire visit.

Brandi looked wonderful, but was understandably tired. Talk about putting in a full day!

She told me Matthew welcomed his baby sister with open arms... which was no surprise. He is a loving little man, and I can't imagine a better big brother. I predict Brandi and Jared are going to have a lot of fun with those two kiddos over the years. Sweet, sweet family.

RANDOMNESS #2 - I got up at 3:32 this morning, and after doing a little "necessary" research on the computer, I played for a few minutes... on Pinterest.

I blame The Lovely Melia.

We had an in-depth conversation Sunday night. It went something like this...

"Miss Belinda. You would LOVE Pinterest. I'm on it, and I know you would like it, too."

"Okay."

It takes little or NOTHING to convince me to try something. I have the willpower of a... a... Hmmm. I have no willpower.

I am now "on" Pinterest, but I have no idea how to pin anything to a board. Also, the sidebar shows that I am following people I have never met. I would reassure them I am not a stalker, but I don't know how to "get" to their boards to let them know I am a semi-respectable 50 year-old woman who has no idea what she is doing on the computer.

I said it before, and I'll say it again... I blame The Lovely Melia.

Melia... You might want to give me a call this week to answer a few questions I have about Pinterest. It would go a long way in restoring our relationship! Love you... but not as much as I did Saturday (pre-Pinterest)!

RANDOMNESS #3 - I can honestly say I made the worst vegetable soup in the history of the world last night. I tried a new recipe, and it was a bad, bad recipe. But not as bad as the soup itself.

Thankfully, I had two cans of Lite Spam in the pantry. I know. I had visions of serving a warm, hearty, healthy meal to my family... and I ended up frying Spam in a pan.

I am not proud, believe me.

RANDOMNESS #4 - The Importance of GNO - I'm going to be writing about the importance of Girls' Night Out over the next few days.

Our Youth Minister, Jamin, taught a lesson this past summer about the importance of fellowship... and I loved it. It is important. It is necessary. It is Biblical.

Every now and again, I attend a GNO. It never fails... Several of the women will say, "I NEEDED this!" And they aren't kidding. It is a very real "need."

Having friends can make life easier.

In the sidebar of my Bible, there is a devotion called "Iron Sharpens Iron."

"Those who isolate themselves or become too self-reliant only make life harder and put themselves in danger. On top of that, they miss out on the incalculable commodity of other people's wisdom and experience. Humans are not meant to figure everything out for themselves, but to put their collective heads together and help each other deal with whatever life presents. In the process of discussion and problem-solving, valuable constructive criticism and differences of opinions can sometimes make the sparks fly, even among close friends. But the results of "sharpening" each other through this process are greater wisdom, better decisions and encouraging camaraderie."

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Luci Swindoll said, "Connect with a friend, a companion of your heart. You might be amazed at what you'll discover and enjoy together."

She's right. In our busy, hectic world, finding and making time to fellowship and connect is more important than ever.

The occasional GNO can help you do that!

I'll have a few more thoughts about the importance of fellowship (and the GNO) tomorrow! Feel free to chime in!

Pumpkin Patch Brownies

I found this recipe on the back of the PUMPKIN-SHAPED MARSHMALLOW package. That's right. They make orange, pumpkin-shaped marshmallows. And they taste like regular marshmallows. Genius!

You will need the following:

Favorite Brownie Mix
Whipped Topping
Oreos
Coconut
Green Food Coloring
Pumpkin-Shaped Marshmallows

1. Bake the brownie mix according to the package instructions. Let cool.

2. Let the kids decorate.

3. First, let them spread a thin layer of whipped topping over the cooled brownies.

4. Let kids crush 8 to 10 Oreos in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Sprinkle on top of whipped topping.

5. Put 1 cup of coconut in a Tupperware container. Add 3 or 4 drops of green food coloring. Close container and allow the children to shake the coconut until it turns green. Sprinkle green coconut on top of the Oreos.

6. Have the children put a toothpick in the bottom of a marshmallow, and place it in the pumpkin patch. (These are BIG pumpkins, so 5 or 6 marshmallows will do the trick.)

Don't forget to snuggle up and read The Pumpkin Patch Parable with your helpers after you finish your family's dessert for the evening!

Have a wonderful Tuesday. I'll be back tomorrow with Wednesday Wisdom, a Seasonal Tradition and some pics.

Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda